Quick preface:

We realize some of the points in this guide are common sense, but – trust us – there’s a story behind each of them. We previously owned a vacation home in Carolina Beach for five years & learned A LOT about sharing a place – including some costly lessons. With our new home on Topsail Island, we’re hoping to put the trial-and-error of home-sharing behind us. We know most folks are inherently courteous, responsible, & savvy – otherwise, we wouldn’t be doing this. Still, there’s no harm in giving too much info rather than not enough.

• IF YOU ARE UNHAPPY WITH SOMETHING, please let us know. (Likewise, if you’re happy with something, let us know, too . Everyone is different, so we depend on your feedback to understand what works & what can be improved. If you find something’s not up to par, please let us know & give us a chance to fix it, rather than not saying anything & then leaving a negative review. That’s doesn’t help you enjoy your vacation. Also, this is our vacation getaway, too, so chances are, if something is amiss, we’re probably not aware & want it fixed as much as you!
• Getting here: Our address is 619 Ocean Dr, North Topsail Beach, NC 28460. Once on Topsail Island, stay on the main road (the only thru-way: Highway 210/Island Drive). Turn on Chestnut Street towards the ocean. Turn left on Ocean Dr. The house is a deep blue color and is on stilts – the 6th house on the street. There is a also map below for your convenience.

• Check-in is 3pm; Check-out is 10am: Unless other arrangements are made, it’s important to stick to these times so the cleaners/maintenance have enough time to get their jobs done. If you’re late checking out & housekeeping arrives, they will tattle on you, and then bill us for an extra cleaning visit. Plus, the next guest’s check-in time could potentially be affected. So…just pay it forward and check out on time. Also, if you happen to arrive a little early, please do not go upstairs & interrupt the cleaners; this will only delay your check-in (and please don’t block the cleaner’s car in). We always try to give folks an early check-in or late check-out whenever possible, but it’s not often doable, especially in warmer months.

• Travel Insurance: If you haven’t already, you’re strongly encouraged to purchase travel insurance prior to your trip in case of emergency trip cancellations & other incidents that may arise. This is especially crucial during hurricane season. Policies run as low as $28 and can be easily purchased online. We always purchase travel insurance when we travel – you just never know what may come up – so we hope you’ll do the same. The best-rated, lowest-priced I’ve found is RoamRight. Other companies: Squaremouth, AIG Travel Guard, & Allianz Travel Insurance. Note: We have no affiliation with nor do we specifically endorse any insurer; we’re only providing options based on past experiences and research.
• Parking: There is room for 4 average-sized cars (2 in the carport, 2 in the driveway). If you drive a Ford F-150 SuperCrew with an 8-inch lift and 33″ tires, then you might want to leave one car at home. Got a boat on a trailer? Feel free to bring it, as there is room. You may be able to park on the right side of the driveway, but it is very sandy, so a 4×4 is recommended. The town prohibits parking on the street. FYI: We recently noticed that folks appear to be driving through the backyard. Please don’t do this, as it’s not a driveway – plus it’s sandy & your car could get stuck.

• Access: Please use the front/ocean-facing door rather than the side door. A rogue gust can send that side door (and anyone in its way) flying, so we decided it’s better to only use the front door (side door remains locked). ­­
• Keyless entry: Checking in is a breeze. You just get there and let yourself in.
  • Your 4-digit code will be given to you when we speak prior to arrival. To unlock, punch in code & deadbolt will automatically unlock.
  • When leaving, press the lock icon (🔒. . . at bottom of keypad) and it locks itself (if a red “x” appears & a beep sounds, then it didn’t lock – just pull it tight & try again).
  • In case of a lock malfunction, don’t panic: There is a backup key available. Just call us, and we’ll get you in there asap.

• SAND! PLEASE be wary of the potential damage that sand can cause – it scratches floors, furniture, and glass, & it also damages plumbing, especially the washer/dryer. Rinse off sand in the outdoor shower or hose located in carport (see diagram below), & shake out all towels & beach gear outside. Please hang all beach towels to dry on the clothesline.

• Dunes: With that said, our relationship with sand is very complicated. Sand can be either friend or foe, depending on where it’s located. Our sand dunes are precious – and protected – and still trying to recover from Hurricane Florence. Please do not back your car into them or walk on them. (Warning: The town will issue tickets for encroaching on dunes).

• Security: As mentioned in the listing, there is a Ring camera located in front of the stairs to the home – it’s a must since the house is sometimes vacant. For your privacy, the camera is deactivated after your arrival, though the light stays on (with that being said, if we hear a concern from a neighbor, we do reserve the right to activate it and confirm there isn’t a party or the like going on – which did, in fact, happen last year when someone decided to hold a wedding reception — ON OUR PORCH 😳). There are some other old cameras around the carport that aren’t recording anything – they’re not even functional or connected – the prior owner had them up and we haven’t yet taken them down.

• Weather station: If you happen to be a weather buff, we have a new weather station installed on the front porch, so feel free to view the live data here, and there is a dashboard inside, as well.

• Contact Info: We can be reached at 609-792-9060 (alt: 913-972-5212 for my husband, Craig) – texting will usually be the best way to get a hold of us for non-urgent questions, but for urgent issues, please call AND text (and even email: carriestewartnc@gmail.com). 

• • For life-or-death emergencies, call 911.

• • For beer-shortage emergencies, there is a Friendly Mart just 2 miles away at 1707 N New River Dr, Surf City, NC.

• • And for wine-shortage emergencies, unless you enjoy a good hangover, I’d suggest you skip the Boone’s Farm at the Friendly Mart and go to the IGA store just down the road on the island in Surf City.

Diagram of outdoor space

• The “Dune It Right” Golden Rule… This is our home & we love it dearly; please treat it like it’s yours, too. (Or, please don’t, in case you treat your home badly 😆). If you break, damage, or spill anything, please let us know (immediately for spills, so we can help mitigate any damage). It’s good karma! Also, letting us know doesn’t mean we’ll necessarily ask to be reimbursed for the damage — it’s just important that we know so we can get things repaired/replaced ASAP.

Also, please note: The home is furnished with some items that are one-of-a-kind and/or antiques. We wanted the space to be unique – and we wanted to share this with our guests — so just be mindful of this during your stay.

• No smoking. No exceptions. Please do not smoke on the porch with the doors or windows open because smoke and ash can blow into the house. If you do smoke on the porch, please dispose of ash & cigarette butts responsibly.
• Floors: There are felt furniture pads on every piece of furniture in the home as these floors will scratch (and they are brand new). If you notice a felt pad is failing or absent, there are additional pads in the cabinet to the right of the dishwasher.
• Remove shoes upon entering the home. A shoe rack is provided. Yeah, no-shoes-policies aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but please drink this tea while you’re staying with us. When returning from beach, please rinse off with the hose or in outdoor shower.
• Air conditioning/Heat:
  • All doors and windows MUST be shut while the HVAC is running. It’s lovely to listen to the waves, but running the HVAC with the windows open can damage the unit, so there’s an IFTTT applet that will trip the AC if it’s running with the windows open. Please choose one: either open the windows -or- use the AC.
  • Please adjust ONLY the temperature and the on/off setting. Do not adjust the “fan” or “dehumidifier” settings.
• Guests: The number of guests staying in the home should match what is on the reservation. If this changes, you must let us know, as that affects cleaning time, among other things. If expecting visitors, please keep to a minimum and do us a favor and just give us a heads up, so the neighbors don’t call us suspecting a shindig is going on. 
• Events/Gatherings: Unless you obtain explicit, written permission, gatherings of any kind are strictly forbidden. While everyone is free to enjoy NC’s public beaches, bear in mind (again) that this is our home – not a beach-party-hub where guests’ buddies can come & go all day to retrieve cold beers, eat snacks, use the facilities, and take naps.
• No sandy items in washer: Please shake off sand before putting items in washer. Otherwise, the “insides” of the washer may need to be professionally cleaned. Also, sand will damage your clothes; I mean, would you take a piece of sandpaper and rub it on your t-shirt? No? Well, that’s what sand in a spin cycle will do.
• DO NOT dry sandy beach towels or other sandy items in dryer: Sand causes severe damage to the dryer. Seriously – this dryer is new. The last one was only a year & a half when it met its untimely end – all because of sandy beach towels being placed within. Doing this will result in immediate damage to the dryer, clothes, and linens (if you see any black lines on sheets, this would be telltale signs of past indiscretions). Damage charges will be assessed if you fail to heed this warning.
• Deck: Please do not lean on or sit on the deck railing, and please use caution when going up and down the steps, particularly when it is raining.
• Please do not rearrange furniture or decorations: Every now & then, we’ll have a guest who decides to go all HGTV on us and re-decorate the home for some reason. Moving furniture can result in damage to the floors – so please do not relocate anything without speaking with us first. Also, a lot of time & thought has gone into the staging of the home, so please do not move decorations around.
• If removing make-up, please use a gray washcloth (in under guest bathroom vanity); alternatively, we’ve left disposable makeup remover towelettes under both bathroom sinks for you to use.
• Do not hang damp towels/swimsuits on furniture or against indoor walls. There a hooks in the outdoor shower. A clothesline is located in the carport, & hooks/hangers are provided in the showers throughout the house.
• Floating shelves in bathrooms: These are made for storing clean linens & a couple of decorative items. Due to the laws of physics, they can only support so much weight so please do not use these to store your toiletries, etc. There is vanity counterspace in the master & a table adjacent to the vanity in the guest bathroom for your toiletries.
• No bleach, please: While you’re welcome to bring your own cleaning supplies, we ask that you not use chlorine bleach or products that contain bleach. There have simply been too many accidents in the past, so we’d prefer avoiding bleach altogether except when used by our cleaner.
• Bathroom condensation: The bathrooms have exhaust fans, so please run the fans while showering to prevent ceiling damage due to excessive humidity.
• Plumbing:
  • If a toilet overflows, please use plunger (in the guest/hall bathroom), & let us know so that we can have it checked.
  • Do not wash hair and other debris down drains – and please clean your hair out of shower drains, post-shower (metal drain strainers are in both showers to aid with this).
• Outdoor dining: Set includes two Trex stools. If you want to seat 4 people, you are welcome to use the two wooden folding chairs in the second bedroom closet — however, please do not leave them outside when not in use; they are not weatherproof.
• Kitchen knife set: Do put in dishwasher; please replace safety covers after using.
• Garbage disposal: Please run water while running garbage disposal and please do not put any of the following in garbage disposal: coffee grounds, eggshells, popcorn kernels, sand, shells, dish towels, lemons/lime rinds, or hands.
• Charcoal grill: A 21″x 21″ grill is located at the back of the house. You are welcome to use it –BUT –in doing so, you are implicitly agreeing to take responsibility for cleaning it & covering it when done. This is not part of the cleaners’ responsibilities. Before leaving, please make sure the grates are clear of food debris, use the ash shovel provided to place used charcoal into the metal bucket in the carport, and place the cover back on the grill. Never place hot coals in the trash (yes, I have to say that), and please do not toss charcoal into the yard (have to say that too). For your convenience, there is a grill brush and grilling utensils in the drawer below the oven.
• Outdoor shower: You’re welcome to use this, as well – it’s an awesome way to shower off the ocean when coming in. It has hot water with a handshower. Please help yourself to the bottle eco-friendly bodywash/shampoo. The shower also includes a large private dressing area with hooks for you to hang damp items. Please clean any hair from grates after showering.
• Deck lights: The side light on the side of the front deck is a wifi-enabled smart bulb and is on a timer (dusk to dawn) for safety/security reasons. It must be left in the “up” position in order for the timer to work; if you do turn it off, please turn the switch back up when you leave. (Note: For nature-lovers, FYI: both porch lights are programmed to be a “turtle-safe” hue during turtle nesting season.) If you’d like to control the brightness and/or hue of the porch lights via smart phone, you can download the “Smart Life” app and the devices should show up. Please do not adjust the colors between May and September because this is turtle nesting season, so the lights need to stay at “turtle-safe-amber.”

Wifi:

• • Network: DuneItRight (2.4/5.0GHz is automatic)
  • Password: nottelling (my mom always asks: “what’s your wifi password?” & I answer “nottelling” …It gets her every time 😂. We encourage you to play this joke on your family members, as well.)
    • Network speed is pretty efficient – esp for the coast; typically runs at about 200+ Mbps download.
    • Reception on the beach can be intermittent at times depending on weather, bandwidth shared with Dune It Right, and other factors.
• Starter supplies: We provide some supplies at check-in to get you started: a roll of paper towels, two rolls of toilet paper, a trash bag, & laundry detergent for you to wash linens prior to checking out. Additionally, some toiletries are provided, as are a few other household items – just use what you need and leave the rest for the next guest.
• Blinds: All blinds are cordless. Just tug down gently with both hands to lower them, and simply place your palms on the bottom and lift up evenly to raise them.
• Recycling: Recycling bin is under the kitchen sink.
• Unpacking clothes/suitcases:
  • There are luggage racks for your suitcases (1 in master; 2 in the 2nd bedroom closet)
  • In master, feel free to use the valet rod for hanging clothes (hangers in 2nd bedroom closet); there is also a chest of drawers. In the second bedroom, there is a closet with a hanging rack & shelf.
• Locked closets, etc.:
  • There are several areas that remain locked so that we may store things for cleaners, maintenance, and personal use:
    • Owners’ closet in the master bedroom
    • Supply closet in the hallway
    • Bottom kitchen cabinet by the refrigerator (both doors locked from the inside)
    • Tool sheds
• Washer/Dryer: Located in the closet by the guest bathroom. High Efficiency (HE) detergent is a must for the washer. Both are large/standard size units, despite being stacked.
• Fireplace: As mentioned in the listing, the fireplace is decorative only, not operational.
• Existing damage inspection: Our cleaners inspect the entire unit after each stay, however, please conduct your own walk-thru upon arrival and if you happen to find any damages, please let us know.

PLEASE NOTE: As is the case with most shared homes, we ask that you help with a little cleaning prep before check-out. This speeds up the cleaning time, thus saving $ on cleaning fees (that are already quite pricey — & seem to be inching up to $100/hr in case anyone is looking for a new career 😂 — I wish I was kidding); this also allows for a 3pm check-in on the front-end. If you’d prefer to skip this checklist, altogether, please let us know ahead of time & we can order additional cleaning time for you. If you have any questions or issues regarding checkout, contact us at 609-792-9060.

Before leaving the home, we kindly ask:

• If you’ve moved anything around, please replace things where you found them.
• Dishes: Load any remaining dirty dishes, etc. into dishwasher & run it before leaving (dish detergent is under the sink in a white bottle – & please note that you must press/hold “start” in order for it to begin).
• Linens: Please strip sheets off all beds used, incl. all pillowcases if additional pillows were used. Place a load of linens (sheets, towels, washcloths) in the washing machine, add ONE detergent pod (provided at check-in, on laundry shelf) & start the washer before leaving. If you’re so inclined to run two loads, we have left an additional pod (& we thank you!).
  • Please do not wash quilts/comforters;  they will be laundered by our cleaner.
• Food: Please either take or dispose of any food & drink you brought with you. Fridge & freezer should be empty. Cabinets to the right of the fridge, as well.
• Empty coffee pot and filter
• Log out of apps: If you logged into any apps on either smart TV, be sure to log out prior to leaving. If you forget, you’ll need to do it remotely. We are not responsible for any unauthorized usage or purchases made due to a failure to log out.
• Shut/lock doors & windows & please make sure the storm doors in the front and the back are closed tightly so that they “catch.”
• Turn off outdoor water: Make sure all outdoor water spigots are turned tightly off.

Important: Just prior to departing, please confirm everyone in your party does a final walk-through of the home to make sure nothing is left behind. In the event that you need something returned, we have a service that can mail items for a fee of $20, plus the cost of shipping. Shipments happen once a week.

• Private Beach walkway: Please reconnect the privacy ropes on the walkway as you pass through; It behooves you to do this because when other folks use the walkway, they’ll typically set up camp directly in front of it, which means you’ll lose privacy and will have to walk further down the beach to get space. Note: We have invited the couple next-door (in the tall sea-foam-green house) & the elderly woman in the home on the other side to use the walkway, however, they very rarely visit the beach. If you see folks using the walkway & you suspect they’re not supposed to, please kindly inform them that the walkway is private.
• Rinse off sand: Again, we cannot stress this enough –PLEASE minimize the amount of sand you bring into the house. It scratches floors, furniture, and glass, it damages appliances, & it clogs plumbing.
  • Please rinse off at the spigot or in the shower before entering the home and shake out all towels & beach gear.
  • Please refrain from washing off sand in indoor showers/tub; it clogs the pipes!
• Wear shoes to beach: While the beach is a great place to run around in bare feet, when walking to & from the beach, we’d advise you to wear shoes/flip-flops, including on the walkway to the beach. Unfortunately, debris from the storms & high winds continually turn up, so we want you to take precautions. Protect feet on walkway, as well; it weathers a lot so splinters, etc. are possible.
• Beach gear rental: If you’re interested in renting beach equipment from a local service (such as beach chairs, umbrellas, boogie boards, bikes, games, etc.) visit: Beach Gear Rental (For orders over $50, your items will be delivered and picked up after your departure.) Unfortunately, we don’t supply chairs, etc. because they never survive more than a few weeks being stored outside in the oceanfront air. We do have a shed, but we store tools, saws, etc. in there, so it seemed a bit of a liability to leave that accessible in case families have children.
• Keep an eye out for high tide: As mentioned in the listing, the beach is always changing, so some high tides come up higher than others – especially during full moon and new moon phases. The beach is usually expansive during low tides, but during high tides, it gets narrower. For this reason, we suggest you keep an eye on your things if you plan to leave the beach during a rising tide and head inside for a bit. For the tide schedule, we recommend this app: Tides Near Me
• Beach gear storage: Be sure not to leave beach equipment on the beach between sunset and sunrise or it will be removed by the town. You may leave your beach gear in the carport, but please make sure it is secured in place, as the beach can get quite windy. Sometimes the best place to leave things is in the shower dressing area. Owners accept no responsibility for damage to cars or other possessions due to unsecured beach gear or other possessions left in carport.
• Drying out wet items: There are hooks in the outdoor shower and a clothesline on the left-hand side of the carport towards the back to hang towels, swimsuits, etc. Please do not use the dryer to dry out wet, used towels. Sand doesn’t get filtered in the vent and thus, flows past, causing permanent damage to the dryer. I know this because this is our 3rd dryer in 4 years. Ugh!
• No household linens on beach: Please do not take any household blankets, sheets, or bath towels out to beach; extra cleaning charges may apply otherwise.
• Outdoor shower with hot water: As mentioned in the listing, it will not be available during colder months due to the potential for freezing pipes, but it will be open by late spring, throughout summer, and until early fall. Note: sea spray keeps the solar lights but they should be replaced in the spring).
• And last but definitely not least, our sand dunes: As you probably know, sand dunes are precious commodities, providing the only barrier between our home and the ocean in the event of a storm. We are working hard to restore them in the wake of the last few hurricanes, so please do not walk on them or set up beach gear on them. The town can (and will) issue you a ticket with a $500 fine for disturbing the dunes in any way. If you notice anyone walking on or otherwise disturbing the dunes, we’d be very appreciative if you’d kindly let them know that this is prohibited by law.
  • Note: In January 2020, the town added more sand to create a new dune. Because they’re not yet vegetated, it can be difficult to tell the difference between the beach and the dunes, so I’m adding this picture to show the difference. There are people who will set up camp on this part of the dunes, but the town does issue tickets for this.

• Accidents:
  • Accidents do happen, so if you break or damage anything please let us know. Our cleaners are very familiar with the home and inspect it for damages after departures, but it’s better to know ahead of time so we can call for a repair or order a replacement. We’re not going to bill you for minor things – a broken wine glass is what it is – but we need to know in case it needs to be replaced.
  • SPILLS: Please alert us immediately about spills so that we can help you figure out the best way to clean them up – not everything comes up with a damp rag. And again, accidents happen. We get it! It’s just better to take that precaution than to risk permanent damage; also, improperly cleaning certain items can void any existing warranties. Some things we might suggest:
    • There are rags and towels in the laundry closet in case of accidents or spills.
    • Red wine spills (and other organic substances): Use a small amount of Oxyclean spray for red wine spills (located under kitchen sink in blue spray bottle; please read directions on bottle before using, as leaving it on certain fabrics too long may cause damage). Red wine stains will typically disappear within 10-15 minutes.
    • Other staining spills: You’ll find a clear blue bottle of Folex under the kitchen, which will get out many stains. Please read directions on bottle before using.
    • Non-staining spills: Wipe or blot up and then use all-purpose cleaner under sink to clean.
    • Note: if you scrub anything on the couch, it will mat the fabric. Instead, just blot it with a rag or towel. 
• Safety:
  • A fire extinguisher is located under the kitchen sink.
  • The home is equipped with three smoke alarms and a carbon monoxide monitor.
  • Please use silicone oven mitts when handling hot items from the kitchen (hung on back of the cabinet door to bottom left of range).
  • Please contact us immediately at 609-792-9060 to report any potential hazards.
• Cleaning tools and supplies:
  • There are basic cleaning supplies under the kitchen sink, if needed.
  • Vacuum: You’ll find a vacuum cleaner in the second bedroom closet.
  • Broom and dustpan are located on the right-hand side of the laundry closet.
• Wifi issues:
  • If the wifi stops working (or is running too slowly), it can usually be quickly remedied by unplugging both the router and the modem (located in the right-hand-side TV cabinet). Just disconnect the power supply from the back of both, then reconnect the modem after 60 seconds and the router after 90 seconds. Try to access the wifi again after both are fully powered (this may take up to 3 minutes).
  • If there is a cable/wifi outage, you can report the issue, confirm it, and/or access information (such as repair time) by calling Spectrum at: (855) 757-7328. Please note: This does happen from time to time on extremely windy days, as island infrastructure is a bit more susceptible to weather. The cable company, however, is typically expedient in getting services back up and running when this happens…in fact, we had internet restored within a day of the last hurricane passing through.
• Blown fuses: The fuse box is located by the side door by the dining room. There is a coat rack (that I made from Topsail driftwood!😊) over it (…an attempt to camouflage it); it’s attached to the wall with two simple keyhole hangers, so to access the fuse box, just grab both sides of the rack and lift straight up slightly, then pull towards you and it should release.
• Air conditioning:
  • The house gets full sun all day, so when the summer temps get to the upper 90s, it can be difficult to maintain a really low temperature inside the house in the middle of the day.
  • If you notice an issue with the AC turning off, please make sure all windows are shut. Again, opening windows can damage the HVAC, so there’s an IFTTT that will trip the AC if it detects the windows open. Please either close the windows or turn off the AC.
• Sea spray on glass doors/windows: Several days into your stay, you may notice that the glass doors/windows begin to fog due to sea spray. If you want to clear off the spray, there is a squeegee with an extension rod in the laundry closet, and glass cleaner under the kitchen sink. The double-hung windows all tilt in for easy access – just open them slightly and then push the window latch all the way to the right – but be careful: these windows are really heavy.
• Sea spray on cars: If sea spray fogs your car windows, you may want to give it a quick rinse at the self-car-wash located at 13912 NC-50, Surf City, NC 28445. Note: Trying to wash off your car with the hose in the carport is an exercise in futility – the water is really hard and will leave cloudy spots all over your car.
• Controlling temperature: During the summer, the sun can get pretty intense in the master, so lowering the black-out roller blind on the back door and closing the back window blinds can help control the temp in the summer.
• Fans: There are two box fans in the second bedroom closet. Feel free to use these.
• Blankets: You can find extra blankets in the second bedroom closet. If used, please launder prior to leaving since cleaners can’t necessarily tell if they’ve been used. Note: the “blanket” on top of the ottomon in the corner is not a blanket, but actually a sofa cover in case you feel you need it.
• Trash pick-up: You do not need to take the trash bins to the curb. We pay for a service to empty them for us. Trash is picked up every Thursday morning, so please make sure any trash you have in the house on Wednesday night is taken out to the bins.
• Pest control maintenance:
  • On the second Tuesday of each month, pest control professionals must access the property. The service will only take them about 5 minutes and does not hinder human occupation, but…if you brought your pet roach, there could be trouble.
  • Please note that this is the beach and we’re surrounded by nature on two sides, and while they’re normally deterred, occasionally a bug may find its way into the home, but we do all we can to prevent this,
• Batteries & lightbulbs: If a battery or bulb dies and you want to replace it, just let us know, and we’ll instruct you on accessing replacements.